An apparatus and method for playing a game has in one aspect a plurality of game elements of at least two types, such as game pieces which have two different sides, and are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, for instance. A player may select a number of arrangements of matching game elements (e.g., lines of contiguous matching game-piece sides) to wager upon in the chance outcome arrangement in play. Aggregation of the number of winning arrangements determines the outcome, most preferably with an increasing non-linear payout in view of that aggregate number. The invention also discloses a related bonus game, which in a preferred embodiment is based upon an Othello®-type game particularly for a gaming machine using outflanking game pieces, such that any game pieces with opponent's side or color showing are converted to game pieces with player's side or color, with an award or payoff according to the level of successful advancement in the game.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of game elements for a display in a row and column matrix of game element locations, with said game elements having at least one feature categorizable into a particular set of one of only two predetermined sets of features, each of said sets of features having a characteristic matching a set together and differentiating that set from the other set; registering a wager input by a player upon a final outcome of the game, said wager requiring selection of at least one possible winning spatial arrangement of said game elements of a plurality of winning arrangements, wherein said arrangements are chosen from a group including matches of game elements of a particular set in geometric vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines yielded by said matrix, said wager further including registration of an amount to bet; randomly selecting game elements and associating each selected game element with a respective location for a play of the game; displaying said at least one feature of each said selected game element in said play of the game; determining an outcome of said play of the game based upon the number of winning arrangements actually achieved, if any; and providing a payout based upon the number of winning arrangements achieved and the amount bet.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said payout increases in a non-linear fashion as the number of winning arrangements achieved in said outcome approaches a preset maximum number of arrangements.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said game elements are depicted in said display as being two sided with one side different in appearance than the other side.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said winning arrangements include a minimum plurality of game elements presenting the same side in a line.
5. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising the steps of: providing a game matrix having a plurality of locations; providing a plurality of game elements used in play of the game, said game elements consisting of a first set of indicia and a second set of indicia, where said first and second sets of indicia match game elements together and are differentiable from each other; providing a methodology establishing a plurality of predetermined winning arrangements of game elements of a set of indicia when said game elements are associated in said matrix; placing a wager based in part upon a player selecting a desired number of potentially winning spatial arrangements of said game elements; randomly selecting game elements and associating a respective game element with a respective location for at least some of said locations in a played presentation; providing a paytable having a structure of payouts wherein said payouts increase in value in a non-linear fashion as the aggregate number of winning arrangements approaches a maximum number of winning arrangements; determining an outcome for the game based upon comparison of the aggregate number of winning arrangements achieved in said played presentation against its corresponding value in said paytable; and providing a payout based upon said outcome.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said predetermined arrangements of game elements are discrete spatial arrangements.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said matrix is comprised of rows and columns which establish said locations, and said discrete spatial arrangements are selected from a group of arrangements comprising a plurality of indicia of a set of indicia appearing in: a column; a row; a diagonal line.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein said matrix is comprised of rows and columns which establish said locations, and said discrete spatial arrangements are preset geometric organizations of indicia of a set of indicia.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein said game elements are two-sided with one side representing said first set of indicia and said other side being different in appearance from said one side and representing said second set of indicia.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein said game elements are two-sided with one side representing said first set of indicia and said other side being different in appearance from said one side and representing said second set of indicia.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein all of said locations have a game element associated therewith in said played presentation.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein all of said locations have a game element associated therewith in said played presentation.
13. The method of claim 6 wherein said matrix is comprised of rows and columns which establish said locations, and said discrete spatial arrangements are selected from a group of arrangements comprising indicia of a set of indicia appearing in the entirety of: a column; a row; a diagonal line across said matrix.
14. A gaming machine, comprising: a display for a plurality of game elements, said display defining rows and columns in a matrix of game element locations; game elements having at least one feature categorizable into a particular set of at least two predetermined sets of features, each of said sets of features having a characteristic matching a set together and differentiating that set from another set; a wager input mechanism which registers a wager input by a player upon an outcome of the game, said wager requiring selection of at least one possible winning spatial arrangement of said game elements of a plurality of winning arrangements, said wager further including registration of an amount bet; and an operating system including a methodology for playing the game wherein said winning arrangements are chosen from a group including matches of game elements of a particular set in a predetermined spatial organization in said matrix, and further including a mechanism randomly selecting game elements and associating each selected game element with a respective location for a play of the game, with determination of an outcome of said play of the game based upon the aggregate number of winning arrangements actually achieved, if any, along with a payout based upon the aggregate number of winning arrangements achieved and the amount bet.
15. The gaming machine of claim 14 wherein said gaming machine further includes a look-up paytable having a payout that increases in a non-linear fashion as the number of winning arrangements achieved in said outcome approaches a maximum number of arrangements.
16. The gaming machine of claim 15 wherein said game elements are depicted in said display as being two sided with one side different in appearance than the other side.
17. The gaming machine of claim 14 wherein said winning arrangements include a minimum plurality of game elements presenting the same feature in a line.
18. The gaming machine of claim 15 wherein said gaming machine is a video gaming machine, said display is a video monitor, said operating system includes a CPU with a program having said methodology as part of said program, said program further driving said display according to said program, said mechanism randomly selecting game elements and associating each selected game element with a respective location comprising a random number generating routine.
19. A gaming machine, comprising: a display; a game matrix defined for said game having a plurality of locations; a plurality of game elements used in play of the game, said game elements comprising a first set of indicia and a second set of indicia, where said first and second sets of indicia match game elements together and are differentiable from each other; a wager input mechanism which registers a wager based in part upon a player selecting a desired number of potentially winning spatial arrangements of said game elements; an operating system including methodology establishing a plurality of predetermined winning arrangements of game elements of a set of indicia when said game elements are associated in said matrix; a mechanism randomly selecting game elements and associating a respective game element with a respective location for at least some of said locations in a played presentation; a paytable having a structure of payouts wherein said payouts increase in value in a non-linear fashion as the aggregate number of winning arrangements approaches a maximum number of winning arrangements; and determining an outcome for the game based upon comparison of the aggregate number of winning arrangements achieved in said played presentation against its corresponding value in said paytable, and providing a payout based upon said outcome.
20. The gaming machine of claim 19 wherein said predetermined arrangements of game elements are discrete spatial arrangements in said matrix.
21. The gaming machine of claim 20 wherein said matrix is comprised of rows and columns which establish said locations, and said discrete spatial arrangements are selected from a group of arrangements comprising a plurality of indicia of a set of indicia appearing in: a column; a row; a diagonal line.
22. The gaming machine of claim 20 wherein said matrix is comprised of rows and columns which establish said locations, and said discrete spatial arrangements are preset geometric organizations of indicia of a set of indicia.
23. The gaming machine of claim 21 wherein said game elements are two-sided with one side representing said first set of indicia and said other side being different in appearance from said one side and representing said second set of indicia.
24. The gaming machine of claim 22 wherein said game elements are two-sided with one side representing said first set of indicia and said other side being different in appearance from said one side and representing said second set of indicia.
25. The gaming machine of claim 20 wherein all of said locations have a game element associated therewith in said played presentation.
26. The gaming machine of claim 23 wherein all of said locations have a game element associated therewith in said played presentation.
27. The gaming machine of claim 20 wherein said matrix is comprised of rows and columns which establish said locations, and said discrete spatial arrangements are selected from a group of arrangements comprising indicia of a set of indicia appearing in the entirety of: a column; a row; a diagonal line across said matrix.
28. The gaming machine of claim 19 wherein said gaming machine is a video gaming machine, said display is a video monitor, said operating system includes a CPU with a program having said methodology as part of said program, said program further driving said display according to said program, said mechanism randomly selecting game elements and associating each selected game element with a respective location comprising a random number generating routine.
29. A video gaming machine, comprising: a video monitor; a game matrix defined for a display on said monitor, said game matrix having a plurality of locations; a CPU, said CPU having a computer program for operating said game, operating said machine and driving said monitor, said program generating a plurality of game elements used in play of the game, said game elements comprising a first set of indicia and a second set of indicia, where said first and second sets of indicia match game elements together and are differentiable from each other; a wager input mechanism which registers a wager based in part upon a player selecting a desired number of potentially winning spatial arrangements of said game elements; and said computer program further including methodology establishing a plurality of predetermined winning arrangements of game elements of a set of indicia when said game elements are associated in said matrix; a mechanism randomly selecting game elements from said sets of indicia for association of a respective game element with a respective location in a played presentation; a paytable having a structure of payouts wherein said payouts increase in value in a non-linear fashion as the aggregate number of winning arrangements approaches a maximum number of winning arrangements; with said computer program determining an outcome for the game based upon comparison of the aggregate number of winning arrangements achieved in said played presentation against its corresponding value in said paytable, and providing a payout based upon said outcome.
30. The gaming machine of claim 29 wherein said predetermined winning arrangements of game elements are discrete spatial arrangements in said matrix.
31. The gaming machine of claim 30 wherein said matrix is comprised of rows and columns which establish said locations, and said discrete spatial arrangements are selected from a group of arrangements comprising a plurality of indicia of a set of indicia appearing in: a column; a row; a diagonal line.
32. The gaming machine of claim 30 wherein said matrix is comprised of rows and columns which establish said locations, and said discrete spatial arrangements are preset geometric organizations of indicia of a set of indicia.
33. The gaming machine of claim 31 wherein said game elements are displayed as being two-sided with one side representing said first set of indicia and said other side being different in appearance from said one side and representing said second set of indicia.
34. The gaming machine of claim 32 wherein said game elements are displayed as being two-sided with one side representing said first set of indicia and said other side being different in appearance from said one side and representing said second set of indicia.
35. The gaming machine of claim 33 wherein all of said locations have a game element associated therewith in said played presentation.
36. The gaming machine of claim 34 wherein all of said locations have a game element associated therewith in said played presentation.
37. The gaming machine of claim 30 wherein said matrix is comprised of rows and columns which establish said locations, and said discrete spatial arrangements are selected from a group of arrangements comprising indicia of a set of indicia appearing in the entirety of: a column; a row; a diagonal line across said matrix.
38. An improved gaming machine, wherein the game includes a plurality of different predetermined winning spatial arrangements of game elements upon which a wager can be placed for a payout, wherein the improvement comprises: a paytable for the gaming machine wherein at least some portion of a payout relative to a game outcome increases in a non-linear fashion as the aggregate number of winning spatial arrangements approaches a maximum number of winning arrangements.
39. An improved gaming machine, wherein the game includes a plurality of different predetermined winning spatial arrangements of game elements upon which a wager can be placed for a payout, wherein the improvement comprises: a paytable for the gaming machine wherein at least some portion of a payout relative to a game outcome is based solely upon the aggregate number of winning spatial arrangements without consideration of any qualitative aspect of an arrangement.
40. The improved gaming machine of claim 39 wherein said paytable payouts increase in a non-linear fashion.
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September 28, 2001
March 28, 2006
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